HAZELWOOD, Mo. — "It took long enough," driver Dani Weekly said.
For more than three and a half years, Weekly and tens of thousands of drivers along a stretch of Interstate 270 in Hazelwood in north St. Louis County have endured nagging detours and aggravating delays.
"Lots of maneuvers and lots of times it was hard to get to the dentist," Weekly said.
"Coming home, it's been a little rough especially when they got westbound closed on 270 from 170," driver Matt Gholson said.
"You got to go all the way around and around. If you don't know the interstate, all the construction, you will mess up," Weekly said.
For drivers, the big mess took off right after the Missouri Department of Transportation's $278 million project started in April of 2020.
MoDOT said it gave seven major interchanges along an 8-mile stretch between Lindbergh Boulevard and Highway 368 major makeovers.
The original stretch of road was paved way back in the 1960s.
"It's just been an inconvenience with all that construction going on," Weekly added.
However, Weekly will soon breathe a big sigh of relief because the big improvement project is finally completed.
On Tuesday, MoDOT will show off the reconstructed interchanges at several well-traveled spots including North Lindbergh, New Florissant Road and New and Old Halls Ferry roads.
Drivers will also see an additional lane in both directions on I-270.
MoDOT said it also wants to make the area safer for motorists and pedestrians. The multi-million-dollar project includes fewer loop ramps, more roundabouts, and new and replaced bridges.
Traffic signals in the area have also been tweaked.
"I like the new lanes that are coming. I hope it all runs smoothly," Weekly said.
MoDOT said it's confident it will and its long-awaited ceremony shifts into high gear Tuesday morning.
"[I'm] glad," Gholson said.
"I'm also glad for them, but I won't be there. I have to be at work," Weekly said with a chuckle.
Gov. Mike Parson will be among the speakers at the grand opening and ribbon cutting. It will be at the I-270 North Lindbergh Interchange at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. The public is welcome.